U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,718 to Knox et al. Discloses a golf putting device which is equipped to measure both the speed and position of a golf ball patted toward a target. While this device has a number of attractive features, there are some aspects of the game of golf that it does not closely simulate. For example, while the electronics is able to detect the location of each patted ball and determine whether it is on target or to the left or right, there is no provision made for assigning specific areas as bogey zones, double bogey zones or triple bogey zones. Likewise, there is no provision made for a bonus for an under par score such as a birdie or eagle.
In the apparatus disclosed in the Knox et al. patent, all putts that are located anywhere within the cup or target area are considered to be made, so long as they are below a particular speed. In the actual game of golf, putts having one speed may enter the cup if they are at or close to its center, while other putts at the same or even lower speeds may "rim out" if they are located closer to the edge of the cup. Thus, if actual putting is to be simulated realistically, the maximum allowable speed for a putt to be considered made should vary depending upon its location relative to the center of the target area.